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July 31, 2013

Bennett Sworn in as Secretary of State

In a ceremony today with Governor Robert Bentley, Jim Bennett was sworn in as Alabama’s 52nd Secretary of State. Bennett, who previously held the post from 1993 to 2003, was already the longest continuously serving Secretaries of State in recent history and is among the longest serving secretaries of state in Alabama history.

"It’s an honor to return to this office once again," said Bennett. "I will work to ensure this transition goes as smoothly as possible for the citizens of our great state."

"We are already in the beginning of the 2014 election cycle and I will work to ensure a smooth and efficient election," he said.

Bennett first became Secretary of State after he was appointed to fill a vacancy in office in 1993. Subsequently, he was then elected in his own right to two terms. He was also the first president of the National Association of Secretaries of State from Alabama, serving the 1999-2000 term.

Before his first appointment as Secretary of State, Bennett served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983 and in the Alabama Senate from 1983 to 1993. While there, he championed the cause of campaign finance disclosure as one of the principal authors of the Fair Campaign Practices Act.

Bennett’s most recent post was as Commissioner of the Department of Labor under both Governors Riley and Bentley. He also holds a BS degree from Jacksonville State University, where he now serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He also received an MA from the University of Alabama.